At least one Caribbean politician is expressing concerns over snap general election called by prime minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit, saying the matter is “an unfortunate development in our region.”
Speaking on radio in his country on Monday, St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ opposition leader, Godwin Friday said it is something the entire region must pay attention to.
He said that since opposition parties in Dominica are going to boycott the polls, “we’re going to have, essentially, a government whose legitimacy is going to be very much questioned.”
“And this is an unfortunate development in our region,” Friday said. “And we all have to pay attention to it. Very few people in the region can afford to turn away, nobody can afford to turn away from this sort of thing and not pay attention to it and suggest well, oh, this is just for Dominicans.”
Last Sunday, November 6, Skerrit announced that general election will be held on the island on December 6, saying that he wants to start 2023 with a “fresh mandate.” He said the country needed a “national reset,” with a “refreshed” Dominica Labour Party team.
The main opposition United Workers Party (UWP) and the smaller Dominica Freedom Party (DFP) have thrown cold water on the election and vowed they will not participate in it. A number of civil society organizations have also condemned the calling of the election at this time.
The main point of contention has been electoral reform which was promised by the Skerrit administration and which it reportedly paid former president of the Caribbean Court of Justice, Sir Dennis Byron over $500,000 as Commissioner on Electoral Reform in Dominica.
It was a point that was also raised by Friday who said that Sir Byron is yet to finish his work.
He described the calling of the election as “that kind of disregard for process.”
“November 6, Sir Dennis wrote a letter to the leader of the opposition and the government saying where he was with the report, and what the plan of action was going forward,” Friday stated. “He said that he would present phase one of the report in the month of November so the Parliament could then bring in legislation to deal with the register of voters sometime in December, and to be enacted, hopefully, early in the New Year, in January. This is the commissioner, Sir Dennis Byron, outlining the plan for what he is going to do and then what does the government do? What does the government of Skerrit do? Disregard it entirely and call election; say, ‘We’re going with the same thing we have here now. All them complaints that people made and so forth and all this stuff that I told you to look into, I don’t care about that I’m going to call election now.”
He said the government of Dominica “has definitely disregarded the work of the commission, because it’s not done.”
“But elections are scheduled for the sixth of December in Dominica and the opposition United Workers Party, they basically said the same thing, that you can’t do this and then expect people to participate in the system that we have acknowledged has problems, and just go ahead as if it’s normal,” Friday stated.
Friday said the democratic system and democratic traditions must be upheld.
“First and foremost, we should ensure that democracy, that our democratic system, our democratic traditions, are upheld and that we are always going to be able to say that a government, when it is elected, it was elected, free and fair,” he remarked.
This is none of your business Friday! A prime Minister can call a snap election! The lack of preparation in the region by the opposition poses a threat to democracy because the ruling party will become too authoritative! I think that’s what you want to say.
All these people posting comments,how are you going to prevent people from being nominated?It is like belling the cat,who is going to do it when the majority are against you.
Some of the comments by those “pea brain” contributors is laughable, your persistent “alternate true” just won’t cut it so stop feeding on the ignorance of Dominicans, you know darned well the main issue is about “Electoral Reform” and please CARICOM leaders we welcome your intervention but keep the RSS out of our blasted business.
If you ask me, this reforms Byron is proposing is already in the hands of Skerrit. He knows what is coming in this reforms. So this means Byron is working hand in hand with Roosevelt to circumvent these electoral reforms.
This also means Mr. Dennis has had ample time to release the first phase of this report for a while now, however the powers to be have been delaying this so it would not impact Roosevelt changes at re-election. Hence the reason for this snap election.
There is no evidence in any sector of our population that would substantiate the call for a new mandate…
So tell me…If he wins this bogus election, does this means he will first serve out the remaining term of this election period ending in 2025, then start the term for the bogus election win?
Are we going to allow this to happen to our democracy? This is electoral hijacking!
And here we go again spending energy on something which makes absolutely no sense. What is in the head of you all supporters of the UWP? You continue to fight on all loosing fronts. If you even remotely knew Caribbean politics you would know that Friday is a non entity in St.Vincent. What can his voice add to your struggle?
Focus on things which can make you victorious in this struggle. The goal should be preventing nominations on Friday November 18, 2022. Talking about Mr. Friday support for you will take you nowhere.
Umm…who is he?
I blame Dominicans for this. I blame us for sitting on the sideline while allowing a leader to run rogue. I blame us for not acting like a common people with common problems who can sit together despite differences. I blame us for supporting the divisions he has been allowed to cultivate- giving privileges to some while holding back on serving all Dominicans. He runs a failed leadership agenda with no oversight.
This is not the work of one person; it is the works of many people whose complete unawareness will mean chaos for everybody.
Wake up to your reality, Dominican people. Dominica is setting itself up for geo-political calamity.
Aye DNO, the St Lucia United Workers Party also issued a statement last week re: the snap elections called by Skerrit:
St Lucia’s UWP supports electoral reform before elections in Dominica – https://stlucia.loopnews.com/content/st-lucias-uwp-supports-electoral-reform-elections-dominica
There is no infrastructure that will allow for free and fair elections in Dominica at this point on time. Let the region and the rest of the world please take note.
It’s good to hear a regional politician sharing his 2 cents, though I wish he was one of those Prime minister . The question is, where is Mia Motley? Where is Gaston Brown? Where is Ralph Gonsalves and others? Are they dormant now but working on sending their soldiers to shoot us when our troubles go into another gear? But this time we are warning them because we will not be intimidated by their guns and armies as we will be controlling our hills and mountains and will be where they don’t expect us to be.
Only Opposition parties not in power and are big losers who respond to your crap. That is the trouble I see.
I wonder if de man know UWP called election without electoral reform,and 6 months before it was constitutionally due.The UWP tried to catch the DLP unprepared,UWP failed.With politics it is like the boys scout BE PREPARED.These guys spent years talking about missing $4.8 billion,going to court and stolen election.They even had a white convicted money laundering and jailbird as an advisor.They also spent time listening to Prodigal Sons,who have no business in Dominica,and have lived out of Dominica for more than 40 years.Lesson to the opposition instead of talking BE PREPARED.In cricket the batsman never know what the bowler is going to bowl.UWP is a blind shot party.They close their eyes and swing their bat,hoping to score some runs.That is called foolish cricked.
In any country, a participatory democracy is of absolute importance. This is where citizens are afforded an opportunity to be involved in the decision- making of matters that directly affect their lives.
I must commend the parliamentary opposition leader of St. Vincent & the Grenadines for voicing grave alarm over this eccentricity ( snap election) by a shamelessly corrupt ruler. Let’s see the reaction of the current leaders in the OECS and CARICOM.
PM Mia Mottley is the self appointed spokesperson for the Caribbean on international issues. I’m anxiously awaiting her leadership on this debacle in one of her member states. I hope that the Caribbean leaders don’t close ranks with this dishonorable tycoon.
How can she respond to your debacle when she is a prime example, having called a snap election in Barbados. You asked for election now to throw the dictator out of office, we responded to you request, now you have made a roundabout turn. What kind of man are you?
Your are comparing oranges and apples. Barbados electoral system offers a level playing field to every political party. Your specious comparison is of no moment. Just horse feathers from you as usual which should be frowned on.
@ds – Stop being disingenuous & deceptive. What kind of person are you?
You know very well that the opposition forces in Dominica are boycotting the December 6, 2022 elections not because it is a snap election but rather because the elections were called before the required electoral reforms such as cleansing the voters list and the issuance of voter ID cards were implemented as recommended by the CCJ post the 2019 general elections.
I hear you loud and clear sir!
Dominicans must now get banday to fight back against any RSS intervention in our blessed land. The same RSS that lent us a helping hand after Maria came in and aided the cabal in stealing our elections while brutalizing our people. We must all therefore invoke the fighting spirits of Bala, Jacko, Congoree, Pierre Collaire and others and get ready to make the ultimate sacrifice should any, and yes I mean any RSS troops show up on our shores to help the Cabal impose total dictatorship on our people. NO REFORM, NO ELECTION…Period!
NO REFORM NO ELECTION
Mr. Friday, I won’t go into a long explanation as to the lack of professionalism and preparedness to lead your statement has shown. I will just say it bluntly, it’s none of your business. We are quite capable to handle our affairs here and will be doing so. There is not going to be an election we can guarantee that.
Everybody of sound mind would have to condemn this snap election which was purely called to avoid electoral reform for at least another 5 years. Well Skerrit, I think you miscalculated the general reaction by the Dominican people and even politicians abroad.
I say it again, no election without electoral reform.
Well thank you Mr. Friday for recognizing that the state of another island is also valuable to the entire region. It is very easy to say, oh that is Dominicans problem to deal with but in the long run constant oppression of a people affects the region. As we have seen over the years, terrible conditions in one island, leads to people putting themselves at risk to travel to other islands (risking their lives most times) and this puts a strain on other countries when they arrive. Dominica has not only seen a strain of having an influx of Haitians over the years, but now the Skerrit government has brought in more Chinese that are most likely not registered. They have taken over the Public Works system, taken over contractual work from builders and more. We can’t even say what has been promised to the Chinese Government for all their so called donations. Eventually, Dominica’s culture will be destroyed and it is already heading that way. Please keep DA in your prayers.
Friday, you would have done the same thing had you been in that same position. Did you say anything when Mia Motley called a snap election? No. You are just another Opposition loser in St. Vincent. And by the way, today is Wednesday, not Friday.
@ds
You are bloated with Jibberish!
Mia Mottley did so with a clean electoral system. Have you ever heard heard anyone complained about corruption in the Barbados electoral process?
Dennis Byron got $750 000 from Roosevelt. Explain to me the reason(s), and justify it in light of this abnormality.
Yeah right. You must have had a crush on Mia Motley, en?
You seem to have a real crush on Mama Mia. Is this just a platonic relationship? Just asking. You seem to be fascinated by that large gap between her two front teeth, en. lol.
For the first time in my life I shame to call myself a Dominican.
Imagine I see a video of fellas singing ‘Skerrit put ur hand in you pocket, we want cool out’ – alas I shame as a man, right now Vincy, Lucia anyone of all you can claim me!
Al where I go in the world, men proud to say nobody cannot buy them. All man checking is hustle for what they want. DOminican men literally begging a next man to give them money – and they bold face we, even singin on riddim and filming it. Alas, Dominica doh have man again nuh, that is not masculine vibes!
Our fathers were proud farmers, hard workers! Right now man begging a billionaire to give them money. Awa, all you kind of man will do ‘anything’ for money, shameful. Thats why them RSS come down and take all you woman on all you, cah all you man is not man.
Shame!!!
Dominicans, especially the men, are rare species of living organisms. This is specifically Roosevelt’s intention: Make them beggars then he can control them with mere crumbs from his verandah table.
No pride, no self-awareness, no ambition, no dignity, the Dominican young, virile males have become parasites, while many of the women have been reduced to prostitution to survive in Roosevelt’s Eden.
There are two sets of nationalities that can be found in sizeable populations all over the Caribbean and North America – Haitians and Dominicans. Pitiful!